The Omaha City Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 2 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers at 1819 Farnam Street to take final action on the city’s 2027 budget, a six-year Capital Improvement Program, and a series of public safety, development, and contracting items, according to the meeting agenda.
Budget revisions and tax changes
Councilmembers are set to vote on multiple resolutions revising the Mayor’s Recommended 2027 Budget by shifting $50,000 at a time from “Misc-Contingency Liability Expense” in Other Budgetary Accounts to various service programs and parks and public works projects. Beneficiaries listed in the resolutions include the Omaha Parks Foundation, Aksarben Curling Club, Heartland Hope Mission, Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, Youth Emergency Services, Omaha Irish Cultural Center, Nebraska Center for Workforce Development, Mount Vernon Gardens Park maintenance, traffic sign maintenance, and several community organizations such as B&B Sports Academy, North Omaha Music and Arts, Georgia’s House of Hope, Blue Bucket Project, and Native Omaha Days. Additional proposed changes would add funding for Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Wolf Pack Sports Foundation, Food Bank of the Heartland, the Nebraska Lawyers Foundation–Douglas County Self-Help Legal Center, and a Rambleridge Subdivision feasibility study.
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One budget resolution proposes decreasing General Fund property tax revenues by $4,368,417.00 and increasing sales tax revenues by the same amount, described in the agenda as decreasing the General Fund property tax mill levy and increasing General Fund sales tax revenue. That item requires at least five council votes for approval. Following individual budget revisions, the council is scheduled to vote on adopting the City of Omaha Budget for 2027 “together with revisions evidenced by resolutions” acted on at the August 25 meeting.
Capital Improvement Program and contracts
The council will also consider final approval of the 2027–2032 Capital Improvement Program. On the consent agenda, previously heard ordinances include a purchase order to Summit Fire Protection in an estimated annual amount of $208,590.00 for fire prevention services, a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) redevelopment agreement for 2211 Douglas Street senior housing with up to $1,133,705.00 in excess ad valorem taxes, and a 25-year lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for continued use of Standing Bear Lake (Papio Creek Tributaries Dam Site No. 16) at a cost of $2,550.00 from the General Fund.
Several major public works, parks, and public safety contracts are listed for action under consent resolutions. Items include a $10,170,264.00 contract with Eriksen Construction Co., Inc. for the Compost Relocation – Phase 2 Project (OPW 55131), a $5,680,000.00 contract with Meco-Henne Contracting, Inc. for Fire Station #70 (OPW 54706), and a $239,327.60 change order for the Forest Lawn Creek Inflow Removal and Outfall Storm Sewer Project (OPW 52470) with L.G. Roloff Construction Co., Inc. The agenda also lists a $170,140.00 contract with Fusion Construction LLC for concrete speed bumps at various locations, change order work on Keystone Trail, Blue Heron Parkway improvements in S.I.D. #617 – Majestic 178, purchase of a replacement bullet trap for the Omaha Public Safety and Training Center for $75,730.24, and purchase of three 2026 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and two 2026 Ford Maverick XL trucks for the Omaha Police Department totaling $152,251.00.
Development financing and TIF projects
On development financing, the council is scheduled to hold public hearings and vote on the Drury Plaza Hotel Redevelopment Plan at 501 South 10th Street, which proposes an eight-story, 210-room hotel with structured parking, meeting space, a fitness center, an indoor pool, and a third-party operated restaurant concept, along with designation of the site as an Enhanced Employment Area. The plan would authorize a general business occupation tax in an amount up to $7,550,000.00. The agenda notes the Planning Board and Planning Department recommend denial and includes communications in support and in opposition. A separate TIF plan for 2501 Center Street, previously postponed, is listed with an applicant request to postpone again; that plan proposes demolition of two existing buildings, construction of 180 apartment units and 18 townhome units (198 units total) as affordable housing, with up to $3,613,528.00 in TIF for eligible expenses.
Liquor licenses
Liquor license items scheduled for public hearing and vote include new Class C and Class I licenses and an expansion of an existing license area. The agenda lists: Kidlavie Nebraska, LLC, dba “Kidlavie,” at 3001 South 144th Street, Suite J09 (Class C); Knuth Legacy, LLC, dba “Frozen Vines,” at 4849 North 90th Street, Suite A (Class C); Chen’s, Inc., dba “Crystal Jade,” at 843 North 98th Street (Class I); and an addition application for 879 Bar, LLC, dba “879 Bar,” at 415 South 13th Street to add an area at 413 South 13th Street and expand its outdoor area north of the current Class I location.
Public safety grants and interlocal agreement
Several public safety and grant-related ordinances are on second reading with public hearings. These include acceptance and multi-year disbursement of a $174,415.00 FY 2025 State Homeland Security Grant Award (#EMW-2025-SS-05042), a $269,671.00 FY 2026–27 STOP Violence Against Women (VAWA) Grant with a $72,557.00 local match for a total program amount of $342,228.00, and a $438,913.00 FY 2025 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. Another ordinance would enter an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Saunders County on distribution of keno lottery proceeds, allocating specified percentages of gross proceeds between the county and the City of Omaha.
School resource officers and land use
The agenda also previews a set of first-reading ordinances involving School Resource Officer agreements between the City of Omaha and Omaha Public Schools, Elkhorn Public Schools, Millard School District, and Westside Community Schools for the 2026–2027 school year, with various reimbursement ranges and hourly rates. Additional future items include rezonings and plats for projects such as Midwest Maintenance southeast of 29th and Q Streets, South Omaha Replat 36 near Missouri Avenue and 20th Street, North Streams northeast of 202nd Avenue and N Street, Cedarhurst of Omaha northeast of 168th Street and Grand Avenue (including a proposed assisted living Special Use Permit), and a planned amendment for a PUD at 1999 Veterans Drive.
Central Library agreement and property sale
The council is also scheduled to consider an ordinance approving a Gift Agreement for acceptance, transfer, and donation of the Central Library property and facilities to the city, and a Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement for city-owned property generally located between 16th and 17th Streets and Mike Fahey and Cass Streets, to be sold to Builders District III, LLC for $7,820,000.00. Both of these items are on first reading and set for future public hearing and vote. The meeting agenda concludes with a possible executive session to discuss labor negotiations, personnel matters, and litigation.
Pre-council meeting
Earlier in the day, a Pre-Council Meeting is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in the Jesse Lowe Conference Room at the Omaha/Douglas Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street, to discuss agenda items, receive departmental updates, and allow brief citizen comments on items being considered at the 2 p.m. meeting, according to the pre-council agenda.
This brief was generated from a public document. Source: https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/images/2026-08-25a2.pdf
